Protective helmet



Se t. 18, 1956 R. E. RICHTER I PROTECTOR HELMET Filed May 24, 1955INVENTOR. fiWEie/Mrm United States Patent PROTECTIVE HELMET Roy E.Richter, Downey, Calif., assignor to Bell Auto Parts, Inc., Bell,Calif., a corporation of California Application May 24, 1955, Serial No.510,780

13 Claims. (Cl. 2-6) This invention relates to a protective helmet andmore particularly to a lightweight helmet providing unusual strength andimpact resistance that may be readily adjusted to snugly fit heads ofvarying sizes and shapes.

Protective helmets are today in common use in many fields. In the fieldsof sports, for example, crash helmets are being worn with increasingfrequency by sports car and other racing enthusiasts. Many additionalsports, such as football and polo, similarly require protective helmets.In military operations, crash helmets are customarily worn by greatnumbers of the personnel including pilots, members of tank crews andother such personnel. In addition, there are increasing demands forsafety helmets in many industrial fields, too numerous to mention. Thehelmet of the present invention is adaptable to all these uses and, infact, its use is contemplated wherever maximum, safe, comfortableprotection is desired for the head.

Despite the widespread and increasing use of protective helmets, nohelmet presently in commercial use permits full and adequate protectionof the head to be properly based on an efiicient adjustment of thehelmet to the size and shape of the wearers head; yet it is fundamentalthat for maximum protection the helmet must distribute the shock over aslarge an area of the head as possible. Thus prior attempts at suchadjustment have usually resulted only in dangerously localizing transferof the blow to top or side portions of the head. This is particularlytrue, for example, of helmets relying on internal webs or cradles, whichthemselves are the primary shock-absorbing structure. In addition, noadjustable helmet heretofore devised has insured full, adequateprotection to such vulnerable areas of the head as the base of theskull, temples and cheek bones since the outer shell of the helmet isgenerally movable with respect to the inner shock-absorbing straps. Norhas there been a helmet with the desired characteristics that could alsobe simply and easily constructed as a substantially integral unit, andwhich additionally provided adequate ventilation of the head.

Accordingly, a principal object of the present invention is to provide alightweight, unusually rugged, protective helmet which may be readilyadjusted for a personalized fit to any wearers head, thereby insuringmaximum protection and safety.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a helmet that willprovide unusually complete protection all over the head, and to its mostvulnerable areas, namely, the base of the skull, temples and cheekbones.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a protective headgear,an inner cushioning shock-absorbing liner capable not only of providingmaximum protection to the head but also of supplying adequateventillation to the head for the comfort of the wearer.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such an innerprotective liner that is resistant to wear,

stains, perspiration and to most chemicals such as oils, gasoline andalcohols.

Another object of the invention is to provide a helmet that will besafe, cool and which is readily adaptable to production line methods ofassembly.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description of an exemplary device and from the drawings inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a helmet embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in section through the helmet showing details of itsconstruction;

' Fig. 3 is a view in perspective showing from the rear an adjustingmeans useful in adapting the helmet to the head size and shape of thewearer, and showing its position with respect to a phantom outline of aninner protective liner for the helmet; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view in section of an edge portion of the helmetshowing further details of its construction.

In a broad view a protective helmet according to the invention comprisesa rigid smoothly contoured outer shell 10, a head-contacting liner 20within the shell of a soft spongy shock-absorbing material (andcorresponding in contour to the outer shell) and adjusting meansuniquely interposed between the shell and the lining for compressiblyadjusting the liner to heads of varying size and shape. In its preferredconstruction the helmet also includes a novel network of ventilatingchannels on the inside surface of the liner which greatly add to thecomfort of a wearer of the helmet,

Turning to the drawings, an exemplary helmet includes an outer shell 10of a substantially rigid, tough, resilient construction. Preferably theouter shell is constructed as a reinforced laminate in which thematerials forming the layers are particularly selected for impactresistance and desirable stregth to weight ratios. Thus a suitable basematerial may be selected from any one of the thermosetting class ofresins which under the influence of heat, pressure and catalyst condenseand polymerize to form rigid final shapes of substantial strength,toughness, and lightness in weight, as for example, phenolics,amino-aldehyde resins and alkyd resins. Suit- 0 able reinforcingmaterials might include any fibrous material, such as fabric, butpreferably is fiberglass which has proved the strongest material forthis purpose.

The shell 10 is substantially ovoidal in shape and is designed to coveras much of the head as practical, without interfering with the fullmovement of the neck, and leaving room for such additional gear asracing goggles and other paraphernalia. As shown, a suitableconstruction for the shell includes a face opening 11 adjacent frontportions of the shell and a downwardly extending portion 12 providingadequate protection for the ears, temples and cheekbones. For comfort ofwear the shell is also preferably provided with a resilient edge bead 14of any yieldable material such as synthetic or natural rubber or othersuitable organic material. Rigidly secured to the downwardly projectingportions 12 of the shell and passing inwardly through slots 15 in theinner liner are chin straps l6 and 18 which preferably are fastened by aquick-release type fastener, such as a snap fastener 17. One of thestraps may also be provided 'with a buckle or slide fastener 19 forpurposes of adjustment.

Adapted for a close fit within the shell is a head-contacting liner 20of a soft spongy shock-absorbing material and having an outer surfacecorresponding in contour to the inner surface of the shell. In itspreferred construction the liner-20 is molded in one piece of rubberlikefoamed organic material, such as foamed plastic,

synthetic rubber or other comparable material, that has been cured to a.chemically resistant shape-retaining state. A particular material founduseful for the purpose is polyurethane which also has the desirableproperty of expanding or growing within the mold during :cure. The linerpreferably is of substantial thickness to provide maximum protection tothe head of the wearer. Molded on the inside surface of the liner is anetwork of ventilating channels or grooves which may includecircumferential channels 22 extending horizontally of the helmet andvertical channels 24 radiating downwardly and outwardly from an uppercircumferential channel 22. The vertical channels 24 extend the fulllength to the lower edge 26 of the liner where they admit an adequatesupply of ventilating .air to the head. As will be apparent to oneskilled in the art, air willcirculate upwardly through the channels 24and will be carried circumferentially about the wearers head by thechannels 22. To additionally adapt the helmet to a wearers head and toinsure comfort of wear, ear recesses are preferably provided in thedownwardly projecting portions '27 of the liner.

Interposed between the shell 10 and the lining 20 is a unique headbandor strap arrangement for compressably adjusting the liner to the shapeof a wearers head. The illustrated arrangement includes a positioningstrap 28 rigidly secured within the shell adjacent its rear, as by arivet 29, forming a loop 38. Likewise secured within the shell aboveface opening 11, as by a rivet 33, is a circumferential headband 32having ends 34 extending rearwardly of the helmet and through the loop30. A fastener such as a male snap 36 is preferably provided on one ofthe ends and a series of female snap fasteners 38 on the other end sothat the two ends 34 may be selectively joined into an ovular headbandof varying circumference. As is evident from Figs. 2 and 3, the band 32is adapted to pass about th helmet between the shell 10 and liner 20 toprovide a positive adjustment of the helmet to head size.

To particularly provide for adjusting the height of the helmet, a secondband 40 is also secured within the shell so as to pass upwardly betweentop portions of the shell and liner. In the illustrated apparatus, thestrap 40 is secured at end 41 to the rivet 33 holding the head band 32in place. The other end 42 of the band extends rearwardly of the shellto a point adjacent the loop 30. The end 42 may be provided with aseries of female snap fasteners 44 adapted to engage a male fastener 46on the innermost surface of loop 30. The fasteners 44, 46 permit theband 40 to be selectively joined into an upwardly directed top headbandof arcuate shape and of varying length according to head height.

The inner liner 20 is preferably bonded to the outer shell 10 all aboutits edge except for a small portion towards the rear of the helmet. Anysuitable bonding agent 45 may be used for this purpose such as a rubberor plastic base cement compatible with the materials used inconstruction of the liner and shell. The purpose of leaving the unbondedarea adjacent the rear of the helmet is to permit this portion of theliner to be pulled inwardly so that the adjusting snaps in headbands 32and 40 may be reached for purposes of compressibly adjusting the sizeand shape of the liner. As will be apparent to a worker in the .art, asthe circumference of band 32 is reduced by adjustment of the snaps 36and 38, the soft material of the liner will be compressed into a smallerdiameter, reducing its size for an exact fit about the head. Similarly,by proper adjustment of the fasteners 44, 46 the height of the innerliner within the helmet may be adjusted to closely fit the head of thewearer. The net effect is that the shockabsorbing inner liner can beaccurately fitted to the wearers head by a simple adjustment of thebands 32 and 40, thereby insuring an unusual degree of impactdistribution over the head and consequently maximum safety and comfortto the wearer. While a single overhead band 40 will efiiciently performthe desired adjustment, it is evident that a number of such straps mightbe utilized with their ends secured at various points about the forwardvportionof the helmet. Similarly, if desired, additional circumferentialbands 32 may be provided extending about the helmet, although theillustrated embodiment is preferred.

The rigid laminated construction of the shell 10 readily permits the useand attachment of a sun vizor 50 which also may be a reinforcedlaminate. Preferably the vizor is attached to the front of the helmet bybreak-away type snap fasteners 52 so as to be detachable atapredetermined impact pressure, thereby insuring utmost safety andconvenience. To facilitate construction, a rear portion of the centralfastener may also constitute the riveted connection 33 for the headband32 and the forward end of the band 40, as shown. Because the vizor canbe rigidly attached adjacent the forward rim of the shell, the vizor mayeasily extend low enough to properly shade the wearers eyes, as fromlate afternoon sun or low floodlights.

From the above detailed description of an exemplary device it will beevident that the present invention makes possible in a safety helmet adegree of shock or impactdistribution that provides a maximum ofprotection to all portions of the head and not merely its top. The'rear0f the helmet adequately protects the base of the skull, while thedownwardly projecting portions 12 are of sulficient size to completelyprotect the vulnerable temple and checkbone areas. The protectionprovided by the tough outside construction of the helmet is extendedinteriorly by the inner spongy liner 20 which is contoured to fitclosely about the head and adjacent the inside of the outer shell. By anadditional unique positioning of adjusting bands between -the liner andthe shell, the helmet may be quickly and easily adjusted for height,size and shape of the head, and, consequently, for its maximum safeprotection. Moreover, because of a novel network of ventilating channelsprovided on the inner surface of the liner, adequate circulation ofcooling air is at all times insured. The net effect is a helmet that isnot only attractive in appearance but which also provides an unusualdegree of safety, comfort and commercial adaptability.

To those skilled in the .art to which this invention relates, manychanges in construction and widely differing embodimentsand'applications of the invention will suggest themselves withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example,adjustment of the liner might be provided with equal facility by othertypes of fasteners, such as buckle or slide fasteners. Also, theappearance of shape of the helmet might be varied con siderablydepending on the particular application or use contemplated. Accordinglyit should be understood that disclosures and the description herein arepurely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting. Inthis regard, it should also be noted that the term thermosetting is usedin the specification in its broadest sense and, therefore, includesresins and other such materials capable of being cured on exposure tolight as well as by application of heat.

I claim:

1. In a protective helmet, the combination of: anouter, smoothlycontoured substantially rigid shell of tough resilient construction,said outer shell being substantially ovoidal in shape and having lowerportions cut away to provide face and neck openings adjacent a lowerrim, an edge bead of yieldable material secured to said lower rim, chinstraps rigidly secured to downwardly projecting side portions of saidshell; a positioning strap secured within the shell adjacent its rear toform a loop; a first band secured within the shell above said faceopening, the ends of said band passing through said loop; fasteningmeans on the ends of the band permitting said ends to be selectivelyjoined into an ovular head band of varying circumference; a second bandhaving one end secured Within the shell above said face opening and itsother end extending rearwardly of the shell to a point adjacent saidloop; fastening means on the rearwardly extending end of said secondband and on said positioning strap, permitting said strap and band to beselectively joined into an upwardly directed head band of arcuate shapeand of varying length; and an integral soft shocloabsorbing liner bondedWithin said shell adjacent front portions thereof, said liner having acontour adapted to fit snugly within said outer shell, rear portions ofsaid liner being movable inwardly from said shell to permit selectiveadjustment of said head bands, whereby said inner liner may be adjustedby said head bands to the head size and shape of a wearer of saidhelmet.

2. The device of claim 1 in which a web-like net Work of grooves isprovided on the inside surface of said liner, some of said groovesextending to points adjacent edge portions of the helmet to supplyventilation to the head.

3. The device of claim 1 in which said shock-absorbing liner is arubber-like, foamed material which has been cured into a shape-retainingstate.

4. The device of claim 3 in which said material or a similar syntheticfoamed plastic material is polyurethane.

5. The device of claim 1 in which said rigid outer shell is a reinforcedlaminate.

6. The device of claim 5 in which said laminate is a cured thermosettingtype plastic reinforced with fiberglass.

7. The device of claim 1 in which said helmet is provided with asubstantially rigid detachable sun visor, said visor being provided witha break-away attachment to a forward part of said outer shell for safetyand convenience.

8. In a protective helmet the combination of: a smoothly contoured outershell; 2. loop secured within the shell adjacent its rear; a first bandsecured within the shell adjacent its front, the ends of said bandpassing through said loop; fastening means on said band permitting itsends to be selectively joined into an ovular head band of varyingcircumference; a second hand having one end secured Within the shelladjacent its front and adjacent said first band, the other end of theband extending rearwardly of the shell to a point adjacent said loop;fastening means on the second band and on said loop permitting them tobe selectively joined to form an arcuate head band of varying length; asoft spongy shockabsorbing liner secured within said shell adjacentfront portions thereof, rear portions of said liner being movableinwardly from said shell to permit selective adjustment of said headbands; and whereby said inner liner may be adjusted by said head bandsto the head size and shape of a wearer of said helmet.

9. The device of claim 8 in which the outer surface of said liner issmoothly contoured to correspond to and to fit closely adjacent theinside of said shell.

10. The device of claim 9 in which the inner surface of said liner isprovided With ventilating channels opening adjacent lower edge portionsof said helmet.

11. A protective helmet adapted to protect the head comprising: a rigidsmoothly contoured outer shell; a head contacting liner within the shellof soft spongy shockabsorbing material, said liner corresponding incontour to said outer shell; and means interposed between said shell andliner for compressably adjusting the liner to the head size and shape ofa wearer of said helmet.

12. The device of claim 11 in which said adjusting means comprisesadjustable head bands secured to the shell and operable to compress saidliner about the top and sides of a wearers head.

13. The device of claim 11 in which portions of said liner are securedinside portions of said shell, permitting unsecured portions to bepulled away from said shell for purposes of adjustment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,106,570 Lipton Jan. 25, 1938 2,374,675 Freedman May 1, 1945 2,619,639Hendler Dec. 2, 1952

